All too often, athletes fail to train their core properly because they think it adds too much time to their workouts. But training your core is important. Core muscles give you overall strength and provide stability to your spine. With the correct stability and bracing exercises, you can train your entire core in 10 minutes. Here is a sample workout:

Front Planks

Lie facedown on the floor.

Push yourself up with your elbows directly underneath your shoulders and your heels off the ground. Your trunk and legs should remain as straight as possible.

Side Planks

Keep your body straight. The outside of your left foot remains on the ground; the inside of your right foot rests on the inside of your left foot.

Sets/Duration: 2x1 minute

Seated Hold

This exercise isolates the hip flexors and muscles in the low back.

Sit on the floor with your heels off the ground and your knees bent. Hands do not touch the ground.

Sets/Duration: 2x1 minute

Deadbug

This exercise engages your abs and hip flexors.

Lie on your back.

Raise both arms and legs toward the ceiling. Your head and shoulders should be off the floor.

Sets/Duration: 2x1 minute

Modify this routine based on your fitness level and degree of expertise. Every program needs to be progressive in nature. Some sort of variable (such as complexity or duration) needs to change to increase performance. Feel free to push yourself.

Wray Watkins
- Wray Watkins is the director of strength and conditioning at MVP Sports Centers in Lake Forest, Calif. He has worked with athletes from the NFL, MLB and MLS, as well as several Olympic Gold Medalists. Watkins also runs an international internship program through MVP. He received his bachelor's degree
Become a Contributing Expert

Become a Better Athlete

Join STACK and gain instant FREE access to resources that have helped millions of people jump higher, run faster, get stronger, eat smarter and play better.